Blogger Syed Abdullah Hussein Al-Attas, better known by his blog name ‘Uncle Seekers’, was arrested by the police last night after posting a series of controversial articles about the Johor sultan.
Johor Criminal Investigation Department deputy director Md Akhir Ishak confirmed with Malaysiakini today that the blogger was arrested under Section 8(1)(d) of the Official Secrets Act 1972.
Syed Abdullah was arrested at the Senawang toll plaza around 10 last night and is now being detained at the police lock-up in Air Molek, Johor Baru.
He is the son of well-known political writer Syed Hussein Al-Attas.
Md Akhir said Syed Abdullah was arrested together with a 26-year-old woman.
Police obtained an order for him to be remanded for four days this evening.
Last Sunday, 30 individuals lodged a report against Syed Abdullah, who is a paranormal practitioner, at the Sentral police station in Johor Baru.
They claimed that the articles he posted in his blog Uncleseekers contain provocation, sedition and insulting content against the Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar ( right ), the crown prince, leaders and state government employees.
The blog also published confidential documents, they said.
The blogger has to date published 64 articles in Malay on the topic ‘ Sultan Johor Atau Kerabatnya ?(Johor Sultan or his relatives?), including some documents that are said to expose the controversy surrounding the heritage of the late Sultan Iskandar ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail.
Sultan Iskandar died in 2010 and was succeeded by his son, Sultan Ibrahim.
Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim yesterday declined to respond to the allegations in the blog.
“Let the Dog bark as much as he wants. I know the truth, Johoreans know the truth. Why should I react to Bullshit!” he said on his Twitter account when asked by a Twitter follower.
Syed Abdullah's articles also referred to a lawyer who had claimed that a member of the Johor palace has issued death threats against him.
The lawyer, Kamal Hisham Jaafar, who is alleged to have embezzled RM660,000 from a Johor-based company, has fled the country.
Kamal Hisham has said that he could not return to answer the allegation for fear of his life, after having received five death threats since last year.